Review Godox/Wistro AD600BM Strobe – updated 1-26-18

UPDATE January 26 2018

I’ve recently written a post about my use of the xPLOR600/eVOLV200s with several different modifiers for a session. You can find that post here.

UPDATE December 9 2017

I recently conducted a two day session using two eVOLV200S mounted to an AD-B2 unit shot through a Cheetahstand Quick strip box. The strobes were used as second key lights combined with my xPLOR600 with remote head shot through a CononMark 120CM focusing octa modifier. The units performed well and the stopping power of the units is excellent. I shot all sessions using a Pentax 645Z whose sync speed is limited to 1/125th of a second. During jumping action shots the strobes froze the action of the talent jumping. I’m continually pleased with the performance of both the eVOLV and xPLOR units. It should also be noted that I was able to complete two full days of shooting without charging either the eVOLV or xPLOR units.

The two eVOLV200s in the AD-B2 can be seen behind the Cheetahstand Quick Strip box in the center of the seamless.

Full body shot of the talent as she performed a leap into the air.

Full crop of the necklace to illustrate the stopping power of the strobes.

UPDATE November 8 2017

My client has used several of the publicity imagery in and around the greater Seattle area on billboards and bus banners. All created with xPLOR/eVOLV/Godox lights.

UPDATE October 20 2017

My client has incorporated some of my publicity imagery into their marketing campaign. All images were lit using Godox/xPLOR600 lights.

UPDATE October 19 2017

The most challenging lighting I’ve done to date was to recreate the Dutch Masters type lighting for a client with 90 musicians, props and instruments on stage. I used four xPLOR/Godox 600s to successfully light the scene. You can read that post here.

UPDATE October 2 2017

I have written a post about a dance session I conducted that uses these items. You can view that post here.

UPDATE September 10 2017

I recently posted an article on my use of all Godox units in one session. The article includes the use of this product. You can view that post here.

UPDATE September 8 2017

In my post about the Parabolix 35D I have some of my recent client work which was just released. All of the imagery was created using xPLOR 600 lights along with associated remote heads.

UPDATE: July 29 2017

I have written an article about how I achieved using the Xplor/Godox 600 and 200 strobes in HSS with my Pentax 645Z. You can read that article here.

UPDATE July 17 2017

I recently wrote an article about using all of my Xplor/Godox lights in one shoot including the eVOLV200s. You can view that post here.

UPDATE JULY 10 2017

My client has released their season brochure where I exclusively utilized Flashpoint Xplor and Evolv strobes to create their imagery. You can view those final images and a short BTS video here.

UPDATE: May 4 2017

Back in January 2017 one of my clients spent two days with me to create publicity imagery for their 2017-18 Season Brochure. For many of my theatre clients season brochure imagery is one of the most important marketing instruments of the year. But like most I’m tied to NDAs and cannot display the imagery until much later. On top of all that Village Theatre agreed to take a chance and change their entire format for the brochure based upon the recommendation of myself and the graphics genius I’ve worked with for seven years. I like to change things about every three years, even IF the prior campaigns have been successful and since they just had their largest subscription year ever, making a change was risky. But we did and the results were met with overwhelming approval.

The entire session was shot with Xplor/Godox 600 lights/remote heads. This is a complete departure from using my beloved PCB Einsteins in the past. I have found the battery life, color temperature, t:1/t:5 performance equal to my former strobes. The innovation of Godox combined with the US service and warranty of Adorama makes a killer combination for my work.

BTS of the two day session:

Because I travel to this client I cannot take my 59″ Westcott Zeppelin, it’s just too large for airline regulations. But as you can see I utilized all Xplor/Godox lights running on battery power only for two days. All grip gear is rented, but the lights and modifiers are ones I bring from my home location.

The Xplor/Godox remote heads are incredible and allow so much flexibility. Here I’m using one with one of my favorite modifiers, the Cononmark 120cm.

I always shoot tethered. Here the Marketing Director/Talent, wardrobe and makeup staff are reviewing the shots between takes.

Final imagery with graphics applied:

Season Brochure Cover

UPDATE: April 18 2017

Today I conducted a client’s publicity shoot using the Xplor 600 combined with an eVOLV 200. The Xplor was used as a key light through an Elinchrom Rotalux modifier. The eVOLV 200 was used as my rim light with the Fresnel head/barn doors/grid on a boom arm. Wonderful combination! Camera was my Pentax 645Z.

Key light using the Xplor 600

The lights behind the backdrop are the makeup lights for the talent. They were turned off for the shoot.

One of the final publicity images.

UPDATE: April 11 2017

Today I am able to release the publicity imagery I created for 5th Avenue Theatre’s upcoming production of Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. All lights used in this session were Xplor/Godox 600 units. Two were coned to blow out the white seamless and the two key lights which are out of frame are two 86″ diffused PCB parabolic umbrellas (no longer available) stacked which are directly behind me. All shot with a Pentax 645Z medium format camera. The strobes used batteries and after a half day of shooting all of them showed a full charge. I never use the modular plug in back because the batteries on the 600 line are incredibly durable. These strobes continue to provide me with bulletproof service and convenience.

UPDATE: May 6 2017

Marketing posters for the show. All shot with Xplor/Godox 600 strobes.

Final Publicity Imagery

BTS images from the session

My client released more BTS images of this session on their Facebook page.

Two key lights can be seen on the left. These are the two 86″ PCB parabolic umbrellas with front diffusion panels installed.

UPDATE: April 1 2017

My apologies for not updating this article since the first of the year, but this is my high season. All of my clients want studio shoots in the first quarter of the year for marketing materials. Some are still under NDA but there are a few images I can now share. First off I want to state that I use Xplor 600 lights exclusively now in studio and on location. They are THAT SOLID and dependable. Not having cords for power is amazing and the units hold their power very very well. I will be reviewing Adorama’s new eVOLV 200 in the upcoming weeks as well. For now here are some of my commercial shoots I conducted in January/February 2017.

As you can see for this client on this day I utilized four 600ws lights. Three were using the remote 600 heads and one was used in its native state…on the monoblock. Unfortunately one of the remote head’s LED modeling light failed. I’ve had two do that to date. And yes I’ve been using the plastic retaining ring with both.

I’ve modified my 59″ Zeppelin as an inverse octa by adapting the Westcott speed ring bracket to accept the Cheetahstand Chop Stick. The combo is remarkable for my work.

Using second curtain sync on the Xplor 600 allows more creativity. I used this technique to attain a dreamlike feeling for this image. Three light shot. Key light is using the 59″ Zeppelin reverse octa. Hair light is a gridded cone using a 600 remote head on a boom. Fill light camera right is an Xplor 600 using a modified PCB Omni reflector that accepts a Bowen’s mount.

Five light shot. One as a backlight to illuminate the smoke. One gridded cone as a keylight for his face and chest camera left. One gridded Omni reflector to give a touch of light to his cape. Two coned lights bouncing off a reflector on the ground to illuminate his pants and the inside of the cape.

Yes those are men’s stripper underwear in the air and NOT Photoshopped in! Five light shot, all lights gelled. The briefs were thrown toward the women without their knowledge to obtain that reaction. Classic! Oh and the woman on the right is my dentist! Hahahahaha. I had a print of this printed in 20×30 and framed. I snuck into her office and hung it in her waiting area.

Time sure does fly by. In my world January is like December for retailers. It’s easily my most jam packed month. I actually ran into Chase (Jarvis) as we were both flying from SFO to SEA. Anyway I wanted to update this page to inform everyone that the XPLOR 600 line along with their Flashpoint Portable 600ws Extension FlashHead continue to perform flawlessly both in studio and on location. (you can view my most recent on location session, Tango in the Mohave here.) Although I won’t be able to show my most recent client work for a few months due to NDAs I can say that in two days of studio work I never ran out of battery power. I charged the units each night after the day’s sessions. I am using the XT32 transmitter which I prefer over the X1 series. I find the controls more intuitive and I’m not a TTL user which is the only operational difference between the two.

For all of my client studio work I’ve been using the XT32 and Xplor line of strobes with my Pentax 645Z. Even though it only has a max sync speed of 1/125th the stopping power of the Xplor 600’s t:1 performance is enough to stop dance movement. Someone mentioned the Cactus v6II trigger allows the Pentax line to us HSS up to the max of the camera’s shutter speed, but I have yet to try it.

My wardrobe gal allows me to utilize her for a light test using the Xplor 600 with the Cononmark modifier. Pentax 645Z

Day 1’s set up.

UPDATE 10-18-16

I had the opportunity to test HSS in studio for a publicity dance session in order to reduce ambient due to overhead lights I could not turn off combined with low power output from both AD600s and Adorama’s XPLOR 600s both using remote heads. I wanted to also say that one of the remote heads, specifically the Godox remote head’s LED failed EVEN WHILE USING the securing ring on the AD600 strobe body. The Adorama and CheetahStand remote head LEDs did not fail. Key light on both of these images was the CononMark 120cm reverse octabank.

Final poster with artwork

UPDATE 10-4-16 (World Ballet Day BTW….)

I’ve received numerous questions about two things:

Can an AD600 do HSS in all power ranges?

What is that mount you use to place the AD600 on a boom?

The answer to question 1 is YES it can. It can use all ranges of power from 1/256 to 1/1 in HSS. Wonderful, although I’m trying to imagine when I’d use HSS with only 1/256th power…..but it’s nice to know it has the capability!

I fabricated the mount I use because I could not find anything with a 90 degree angle that would not spin on a boom no matter how tight I’d tighten it down. My first try was with my trusty Manfrotto Superclamps which are great. But due to the weight/leverage of the AD600 base it just would not stay put enough for my taste. So I decided to use a truss clamp which never spins. But I had to fabricate the mounting…. (oh and thanks for asking if you can buy them from me, but I’m a pro shooter, not a pro fabricator….)

The 10mm long bolt goes inside the truss clamp. It is necessary to grind or file down two opposing sides so the head of the bolt will fit in the recessed portion of the clamp and not spin when tightened. The upright bolt is the longer 30mm one that is screwed into the other end of the brass pipe fitting which becomes your light mount. Once you have tightened the bolt into the pipe fitting you will need to cut off the head of the bolt and either grind or file it down. The 8mm nut secures it to the pipe fitting so it does not loosen from the pipe fitting. I notched the stud so the screw from the AD600 would rest in that notch as an extra measure of safety in case the screw from the AD600 loosens.

The truss clamp I use is just right for stand diameters like C stand poles. For smaller diameters I just use some PVC pipe cut in half and filed down so it is not a complete circle. I then used gaff tape to join one side and small pieces of grip tape on the inside to prevent spinning of the PVC on the metal light stand. Works perfectly!

As you can see in this photo the truss clamp works perfectly and does not spin. Because the length of the remote head to the light is about seven feet I still needed an additional counterweight, so I used a Manfrotto 15 pound boom counter weight.

How I use the clamp on a vertical light stand.

One HUGE advantage of my DIY clamp is I can leave it on my on location light stands and they fold as compact as if it was not attached! I leave them on my onlo stands because it’s just so easy to forget things, which I sometimes can do. And BTW all of my onlo stand have an adjustable leg. I seldom if ever encounter flat ground when on location!

UPDATE 10-3-16

On 10-2-16 I conducted a studio dance session using four AD600s which consisted of 3 Godox units and 1 Adorama XPLOR TTL unit, and one Einstein unit. If I owned five AD600s I would have not used my Einstein. My key light modifier was a XPLOR 600 with a CononMark inverted light modifier using a H600 remote head. My overhead light was a AD600 using a H600 on a boom with the AD600 as the counterweight.

After all day shooting all of the units showed a full three bars of charge. The stopping power of the lights is great for dance. I did NOT use HSS and shot all of these with a Canon 1DX Mark II using a EF24-105L series lens. Power on the lights varied by shot.

Five light studio set up. The only non AD unit is the Einstein which illuminated my gobo which you can see on the background seamless.

You can see one of the H600/AD600s on the boom using the AD as one of the counterweights.

My key light and modifier. A CononMark inverse modifier using the XPLOR 600 from Adorama with their remote head unit.

Today I conducted an on location session with ballerinas from Avant Chamber Ballet using two Godox AD600 strobes. Camera Canon 1DX Mark II. The strobes continue to be solid and dependable. These were shot primarily in HSS mode.

Canon 1DX, EF85mm 1.2 lens. f2.5. Single AD600 with remote head shot through a SMDV 27″ octabank with both diffusion panels installed. Power set at 1/32nd. 1/1600th f2.5.

UPDATE 4-21-16

The Godox remote head is FANTASTIC! I only wish the cord was another three feet long. Beyond that, bravo Godox!

The battery/power unit makes for a fantastic ballast of weight.

UPDATE 4-18-16

Today I received the AD600’s remote head. In a later update I will report my findings. My stats are the unit weighs 1.8 pounds not including the 9 foot cord. I will also be ordering the remote head which will produce 1200ws when combining two AD600 units. I am so impressed with Godox’s innovation with these units.

AD600 remote head, side view. The silver circle is a US quarter for scale.

Front view. The small rectangle under the left plug in is the locking socket for the connecting plug.

UPDATE 4-10-16

I conducted my first commercial shoot with all Godox lights. After a lot of testing I felt comfortable enough to use them in prime time for a client’s new marketing campaign. I used a three light setup for this shot, two AD360s and one AD600. All are manual with no TTL since I don’t use TTL devices. The only light you cannot see in the BTS photo is the AD360 I used behind the talent to illuminate the curtain’s texture. The inverted octabox on the right is a CheetahStand 90cm octa which I have modified to be an inverse type with a focusing rod. You can read more about that here.

AD600 as a fill and focusing light shot through a Phottix folding beauty dish with diffuser attached. AD360 inside the CheetahStand 90cm with focusing rod. Third light, an AD360 is located behind the talent with a cone and 50 degree grid.

The specularity and softness resulting from inverted softboxes is now my main preference for modifiers.

UPDATE 3-22-16

I stopped photographing weddings long ago. But a very close friend of mine asked me to do her engagement imagery so what could I say to her besides “sure”? She had been my fashion and artistic nude model for years. Anyway I had the opportunity to use the AD600 in HSS mode and since I’m not bound by any NDAs I can share this one with you. Shot at just after midday you can see how effectively the AD600 works. Canon 1DX, 1/4000th at f4.0. Shot through a mangled PCB Omni 18″ reflector, which still works fine. It’s just ugly now… The high key image was backlit using the AD600 bare bulb through white fabric and the key light was an AD360 shot through a white folding beauty dish. I’m finding the Godox AD line of lights excellent in performance as well as convenience.

AD600, Canon 1DX 1/4000th, f4.0, ISO 100, AD power 1:1. Modifier is a PCB Omni 18″ silver dish, camera right 2 feet above their head lines. Bright sunlight used as a rim light behind the couple. You can see the shadow cast on the sand by the wood in the image.

Well today while doing an on location shoot my AD600 and the PCB Omni reflector I modified for a Bowens mount toppled from about 8 feet in the air. My Omni took the brunt of the impact, but so did the AD600. The Omni was bent beyond repair but even though the AD suffered some impact, no damage. The case had some dirt on it, but other than that it’s fine. Well made device.

UPDATE: 3-19-16

I used the AD600BM all day during a personal portrait project from 12:30pm to 5:00pm. It was used to take approximately 209 portraits varying from full to 1/64th power. I didn’t need to use the modeling light because I had plenty of light for focusing. (I don’t use the modeling light to determine my angle of light). I also used it at HSS to reduce ambient outdoors and the power level was between 1/2 to 1:1. This morning I checked the battery level and it still registers as full. This is a wonderful on location light with plenty of battery power and wonderful true HSS, not Hypersync so I get no banding whatsoever. I only await the yet to be released remote head unit to use it with my inverted softboxes.

UPDATE 2-14-16 Final Test

Back when I was a kid my Dad who was an engineer told me this joke: “An engineer and a mathematician were given a problem. They were presented with a gorgeous naked woman and told that with each step toward her they are to advance exactly one half the distance toward the woman to get ‘the prize.’ The mathematician immediately turned around and left. He knew it was impossible. The engineer happily stayed and said “Oh I’ll get close enough!”

A large part of my commercial work is photographing dance. The last test I needed to conduct with the AD600BM was to see how the IGBT flash duration would freeze action in studio and ambient light. In the past the person who would not believe I could freeze action was a professional juggler. “Oh I’ve had many photographers try to freeze my batons, but they just could not.” So I took a few shots of him with my trusty Einsteins and guess what? He was speechless.

A speechless pro juggler! Shot with Einsteins and a Canon 1D Mark IV

Since I don’t have access to dancers for a bit I thought that a good test of the AD600BM’s stopping power would be to see how it performs on a fast rotating bicycle wheel. First in a dark environment and then in high ambient lighting. That is an area where my beloved Einsteins aren’t so good because they don’t allow me to shoot above my camera’s sync speed, 1/250th of a second. I could bring down ambient with them when there was not fast movement using various ND filters, but when action is present with high ambient light they just would not do the trick.

So I didn’t conduct any scientific tests, I have no idea how fast the bike wheel is spinning. I just spun it as hard as I could. But what I do know is like the engineer in my Dad’s story “I’ll get close enough” for my work. Also my job is to catch dancers at the apex of their movement which is much slower that this spinning wheel. And as with my Einsteins when I have to keep the power in their sweet spot I either use another light or increase my ISO to ensure that the action is frozen by keeping the power at 400ws or less.

I can safely say that I will use the AD600BM line almost exclusively for on location outdoor use. The advantages over my Einsteins:

High Speed Sync

Built in battery pack

Ability to change to a remote head/pack system

Less weight than an Einstein and Vagabond Mini II battery

No cords

No Ambient Light test – all shot at 1/250th of a second with various AD600BM power levels

No flash 1/250th stationary wheel

1/64 flash power

1/32 flash power

1/4 flash power

1/2 flash power

Full flash power

Ambient Light Test – All shot at full power on the AD600BM

Ambient light, no flash for reference

Shutter speed 1/500th of a second. AD600BM 1:1 power

Shutter speed 1/1000th of a second. AD600BM 1:1 power

Shutter speed 1/2000th of a second. AD600BM 1:1 power

Shutter speed 1/4000th of a second. AD600BM 1:1 power

To show how the ambient was reduced at this shutter speed. Shutter speed 1/4000th of a second. AD600BM 1:1 power

UPDATE: 2-10-16

My next to last test for the AD600BM was to test its HSS capabilities. This is the primary reason I purchased this unit. The test was conducted at 3:15PM PST in the Bay Area. I wanted to see the capacity the strobe has to reduce ambient light. It was a cloud covered day, but not a total cloud cover. I placed the talent with her back against the sun which was approximately 30 degrees off the horizon. The natural backlight was used as a rim light and also by facing her away from the sun she would not be prone to squinting. A portable wind machine was used to add movement to her hair and the garment.

Using HSS 1/4000th f2.8 ISO 100

I used a PCB Omni 18″ modifier which is my go to modifier for the outdoors. It withstands moderate to strong wind and produces a very nice quality of light.

Using HSS 1/4000th f2.8 ISO 100

The AD800BM was set at 1/4 power and the shots were created using HSS since my 1DX was set to 1/4000th of a second at f2.8, ISO 100. I have included a shot of what the scene looks like with just ambient light for comparison.

Ambient light only, no strobe. Manual exposure 1/250th f2.8 ISO 100

My trigger was a Godox X1 running firmware 11 and the built in receiver in the AD600BM. One of the nice features is the AD600BM automatically switches to HSS once you pass the camera’s native sync speed, in this case 1/250th of a second. It also reverts to non HSS once you go to or below your native sync speed, so you have complete control right from the X1.

I was also able to test the compatibility of the AD600BM with an AD360 unit in non HSS mode. I placed the AD600BM behind the talent with no modifier at all. I wanted to create a high key shot and used the AD360 as the key light, camera right with an umbrella reflector to fill in her face. I used the older FT-16 transmitter and receiver for the AD360. I simply placed the FT-16 transmitter on top of the X1 and it fired both strobes without issue.

I also had the opportunity to use/test the modeling light on the AD600BM. One of my small frustrations with the AD360 line is the absence of any modeling light. I often depend on them to acquire focus in very dark situations. On one particular evening my partner was doing some filming and asked that I take a head shot of each of the interviewees. My only option for space was in the theatre house which was very dark. I simply placed the AD600BM’s modeling light to high and it was more than sufficient to allow me to not only obtain focus, but to judge the angle of the strobe. I could not be happier. These were shot with the Omni 18″ modifier using his included triple layer sock which produces a very nice soft light.

AD600BM shot through a PCB Omni 18″ modifier with a triple layer sock over the front.

My last test for this light is to see if its t:1/t:5 performance is good enough to stop action for dancers. If that is the case I would consider using these strobes in place of my beloved Einsteins. Stay tuned…

UPDATE: 2-5-16

First test shot using the AD600BM as the key light with an Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octa 39″ inner diffusion panel only. Hair light a Godox AD360 with a Bowen’s Maxlite 8″ reflector on a boom. FT-16 transmitter and receiver used on a Pentax 645Z, lens 45-85mm f 4.5.

First test shot in studio with the AD600BM.

UPDATE: 2-4-16

As I wait for the Godox AD600BM remote head I decided to fabricate a focusing rod for a sixteen rod parabolic. The AD360 fills the modifier well. It will be interesting to see how this configuration changes the quality of light using HSS. I am addicted to the light qualities of the light from focusing parabolics. (and before you HAVE to be right no one manufactures an actual parabolic modifier, not even Broncolor. It’s just a marketing moniker) When I want to travel light this is the rig I will use. For local clients I’ve been using the Westcott 59/47 with their strong but very heavy speed ring and pivot along with their Mounting Arm.

DIY focusing rod for a Westcott Zeppelin. The real beauty is the ability to use this with any 16 rod softbox.

UPDATE: 2-3-16

Godox X1-C Transmitter

Today I received my X1-C transmitter I purchased from Amazon. One of the issues I am accustomed to is being an early adopter for gear. And one of the downsides of being an early adopter is encountering issues which may or may not be present in a more vetted device. First I will list the positives of the X1-C Transmitter:

I enjoy the form factor more than the FT-16 transmitter. The X1 is lower and more in line with a lower profile I prefer. But this is just personal taste. The antenna is internal and not external which I am always worried about breaking or catching on other devices.

The rear facing LCD is easy to read from the photographer’s view.

HSS is automatic with the X1 on the manual version of the AD600BM unit. Once you go past the native sync speed of your camera the AD600BM goes into HSS mode automatically rather than having to switch it on the strobe.

Because the X1 performs HSS I no longer have to carry my CellsII transmitter. One less thing for me to forget on location.

The built in hot shoe on top of the X1 allows pass through signal for my PCB CyberSync Trigger commander. This will allow me to use the AD600BM in conjunction with my Einsteins. Not in HSS but in normal studio usage.

The range of the X1 is as good as the FT-16 which I have found to be stellar for my work.

Updating to v11 firmware gives you two more groups, D and E.

Now for early adopter woes:

The ‘instructions’ which shipped with my unit are horrible. I had to download some from Godox’s site.

I installed firmware v11 to get the 1/256 speed to remotely adjust on the X1 to the AD600BM. Even though it adjusts the readout on the X1 does not show 1/256 but 1/128- while the AD600BM shows 1/256. Also until you install v11 of the firmware you cannot adjust the power down to 1/256 from the X1. You are able to manually adjust power down to that level on the strobe, but once you fire it, it will go back to 1/128.

Finding the firmware was a pain since the site is written in Chinese.

Custom functions 4-5 are not listed in the online manual. They are listed in the X1 firmware update notes.

The hot shoe pass through will not work with a CellsII transmitter for HSS, but does work with the FT-16 transmitter. So using HSS with my AD360s in conjunction with the AD600BM was not possible. Using the AD360s NOT in HSS mode works well.

Modeling light on/off is not currently controllable from the X1 with firmware v11

Improvement wishes:

Everything listed in Early Adopter Woes

Pressing the top TEST button illuminates the LCD screen

Powering down the unit leave the order of Groups the same. Currently the unit defaults to ABC. One can only change power levels when the group is placed in the center order.

I believe that once Godox works out these small firmware bugs, the unit will be just what I need. Until then I will continue to operate the AD600BM with my FT-16 units and CellsII for HSS. I have yet to try the associated XT-16 receivers because they were all recalled in China. Once they are released I will purchase 2 to use with my AD360s.

I have been waiting for this release in the US. Since it is not projected to be available from the retailers I often use for several months I decided to purchase one from a reputable retailer in China. I had a bit of an issue with shipping, but it finally arrived. My cost including shipping was 549.00 USD. I opted for the manual rather than TTL version because I have little to no use for TTL.

The future feature that attracted me the most about this unit is their upcoming separate head unit which will attach to the monolight. I often use my units on a boom and having the option of separating the head from the primary weight of the unit is very attractive. I have also used their AD360 units for a little over a year and have been very impressed with the range and simplicity of their remotes. Godox and their associated brand names have proven bulletproof in my work.

I had originally had high hopes for Adorama’s Rovelight and used them on a paid assignment for a ballet company in Dallas, TX with mix results. I ended up returning the units due to their very poor remote range performance. You can read my full review of their units here.

I plan to use this unit primarily on location, rather than in studio where I depend on my Einstein strobes. Upon receipt of the unit here are my initial findings:

Physical

The body is plastic and of good quality. I actually find the LCD placed on the side of the unit to be beneficial. My other strobes, the Einsteins and Priolites have their LCDs on the rear of the unit. When above my line of sight it makes it impossible to see the readouts. Now both of the other unit’s remotes have the readout on the remote units, but sometimes being able to see readouts on the strobes is very convenient. Having the LCD on the side makes it much easier to see when the units are mounted high and pointed down as when as softbox is attached.

The Bowens S mount is a millimeter too shallow to accept all but the protective cover which comes with the unit. I simply removed the three very small self tapping screws which hold the metal Bowen’s S mount ring to the unit. I purchased three #4 1 millimeter washers and placed them between the ring and the housing. Now all of my Bowen’s S mount modifiers fit well and very snug.

The ratcheting handle which allows tilting of the unit does not hit the body, but is very close. I solved this by purchasing 2 1/4 washers and placed them between the handle and the body. Now there is sufficient space to easily turn the handle without using its ratchet feature.

The hole which mounts to a light stand is a little tight so I simply ran my Dremel tool through the hole to give me a bit more clearance when mounting to a 5/8″ stud.

I was very pleasantly surprised that although the umbrella mount is short in length, when I placed a very heavy and large 86″ umbrella through the mount and tightened down the lock screw it has very little to no sag for the umbrella shaft. As a matter of fact it’s parallel to the housing keeping the bulb in the sweet spot for the modifier! The Rovelights I returned required me to use a strap to keep the umbrella shaft level.

I was very happy to find that the unit came with a protective bulb cover since it was not listed as an included item.

The LED modeling light has three steps, low/medium/high. I really appreciate this feature as it makes it a snap to obtain focus in very low light.

Remote Performance

Even though the AD600’s have a built in receiver I’m using the AD360 USB plug in receiver and associated transmitter. For HSS I use the CellsIIC transmitter. Below you can see my results of the remote’s range. To summarize this feature, its range is fantastic and matches the performance of my AD360 units. I could not be happier. One thing to note, since the older FT-16 transmitter only goes down to 1/128th power you cannot take the AD600 down to its lowest 1/256th power. This is also one of the features I liked about the AD600, its nine stop power levels. I may purchase their upcoming X1 Transmitter to take advantage of the entire power range. You can enable the modeling light from the FT-16 transmitter, but it does not allow you to adjust the low/medium/high levels and defaults to high when controlled from the FT-16.

The shots below were done 80 feet from the wall and the AD600 was placed behind the tree. I find that organic material is really tough on radio transmission and is a true test of the environments in which I work. Modifier used is a Bowens Maxlite 8″ reflector. Power level of the AD600BM 1:1, full power.

No flash F2.8 ISO 100

1/250th Max sync speed F2.8 ISO 100

HSS 1/500th F2.8 ISO 100

HSS 1/1000th F2.8 ISO 100

HSS 1/2000th F2.8 ISO 100

HSS 1/4000th F2.8 ISO 100

HSS 1/6400th F2.8 ISO 100

HSS 1/8000th F2.8 ISO 100

HSS Banding

HSS is one of the primary reasons I purchased this unit for on location use. Ambient light can cause blur in high action shots like dance. One of the issues I have with my Priolite is the banding during HSS above 1/2000th. I am not sure whether the AD600s use high speed sync or hypersync, but no matter. I could find no banding in my little tests. All shot at F2.8 ISO 100. Modifier Bowens Maxlite 8″ reflector. Power level of the AD600BM: 1/4 power.

1/250th

HSS 1/500th

HSS 1/1000th

HSS 1/2000th

HSS 1/4000th

HSS 1/8000th

Initial Summary

I will say that at this point I am very happy with the value/performance ratio of this light. Will I purchase another one? I’m not sure, but not due to any issues with the light. For my work three light for on location work are enough…at the moment. Using my two AD360s and the AD600 present a good and portable value for my current client base. I will continue to update this post once I have some ‘real’ shooting to do.

Boy that’s a tough question. I have used Einsteins for six years now and love them. Combined with his CyberCommander series they are bullet proof and the control it gives from the Commander is unsurpassed. I do quite a bit of dance shooting and the t:1/t:5 performance of the Steins freezes action so well. I have also used these on location using several Vagabond Minis with great results. Now having said that if I was just starting out and planned to use the AD600 series on location and in studio I would consider those. Godox will be releasing an AC option for the AD600 series to use in studio. Today 2-2-16 I will be receiving the Godox X1 transmitter and will test to see how the control/range of the transmitter functions and post my results in this Musing. Now here’s the part that I seriously doubt Godox or their associated other companies can match – Buff’s customer service. I have had the TSA drop one of my lights and because I use them professionally they repaired my unit pronto. In every case their customer service has been stellar. You can search around to see just how many people feel the same way.

Thank so much for the response. I have seen your work and it is absolutely fantastic. I am a total beginner with flash photography and wanted to get some strobes to learn with. I have done a lot of research and Buff’s come highly recommended by so many that I am leaning in that direction, but there are new entrants onto the market, like these Godox or the Dynalite Baha B4s or B6s that seem like they are very full featured and even more portable which would be fun to try to work with (though there is no guarantee that I would ever take them out of my house as I am still in my exploration phase!). There is scant history with them and as you mentioned the Buff’s customer service is so well regarded.

I am also considering the Bowen Gemini 400 W/s and the Elinchrome BRX 500s and even a Prophoto D1 kit (which i know would be overbuying for a novice, but what the hell…?!). There are too many options to choose from. I thought buying a camera was bad. This has been even more confusing. Seeing the amazing work you do is certainly a strong endorsement for the Buffs which has been my leading contender for a while.

I am also comparing the Einstein to the Godox, well I am planning to buy the rebranded flashpoint version from Adorama, but i’m really trying to figure out which one is the better long term option since they are the same price range. The Einstein seems to be the more expensive overall package (trigger, vagabond) and I guess what i’m really looking to find out is, if you were starting out and just wanted 1 strobe to be multipurpose, would you go for the ad600 or the Einstein.

I’m leaning towards the Godox, with that extension head the possibilities are endless for location shooting with or without an assistant! I just found your blog so I will be going through old posts but i do need to find a nice octabox and a beaty dish(maybe collapsible) for the unit (not sure if i can modify the pcb like you did)

I have read that the AD600 lists using LiFePO4 cells for the battery. This is great. They far outlast traditional Lithium in cycle count and useful life. Most LiFEPO4 are 10 year batteries. 11.1V on the pack confirms this, as LiFePO4 is 3.7V nominal and this is 3 cells in series for 11.1V. This seems to be true with the 11.1V AD360 packs as well.

If you did not already have the AD360 units, would you get AD600 units for all? It seems like the price difference is only $100 for the upgrade in power. Is there anything lost if this is the route someone goes? I love the light weight on a boom option with the remote head.

It’s really quite hard to say. I really love the AD360s for their sheer portability. If I was starting all over I would get one AD600 and another AD360. I’m not a TTL guy so I stay with manual strobes. By having both it would give me the flexibility to use one when I need a stop more power and the other when I need light and small portability. When you need a key and fill light then you have both. I hope this helps.

It does help Mark, Thanks. Also, thanks for the effort you have put into your site. I have been going through everything and you have some beautiful art on here. I’ve learned quite a bit, just looking at your lighting and artistic choices in photographs.

Hi Kenny, I made that mount myself. Although it varies from this DIY type, you can view how to make one here. I recently made an even lighter version and will post it later this month after I have a chance to test it further.

Thanks for the review Mark. I have been a huge fan of the AD 360s for some time now and I have replaced all of my White Lightning gear with them. Location work is so much easier now with rock solid triggers and long battery life. I was a little concerned about the power but remembered that most of the time I never use full power on my WLs and Einsteins. I have successfully lit large exterior landscapes at night with just two AD360s and have no fear of their power output at all.

I had been thinking of the AD600 and it seems to be everything I had hoped it to be. However, I doubt I really need the power now. As an aside on the new triggers. I do believe that the high speed sync is a Hyper sync as opposed to HSS. I infer this from reading the data sheet that noted a flash delay setting.

Manual. The camera does not stop the action, the strobe does that. I shoot at my camera’s highest native sync speed (1/250th) which is not enough to stop finger tips and toes. The flash duration does. As a rule of thumb shutter speed controls ambient light, f stop controls flash intensity.

Your review of the AD360 was already very helpful in buying into the Godox Lighting system. I am currently with an AD360 + FT16 transmitters and would like to bring my Nikon Sb700 in my lighting setups. Would the X1 triggers replace the FT16 in this instance and would the sb700 be also wirelessly power controlled?

Thanks Mark for this excellent review. I have been a location photographer for 40 years now, I use Dynalite with great success for places where I have easy AC access. I have been looking at battery lights for a while, especially for quick location portraits and architectural interiors. The AD600 has all the specs I require. The B1 compares in recycle time, but the price is very steep. I especially like the removable head feature.

The 360 is tempting in addition, but having the battery, cables etc to set up would be slower for sure. I would love to see Godox repackage the 360 in the same format as the 600. No reason the weight couldn’t be kept the same as the 360, the extension head would be great as well. All the reviews I have read in the last while indicate that quality should be no concern with this brand.

Hi Harold, thanks for taking the time to write your note. Doing these reviews are specifically to help people decide. I’m so glad it helped you. Yes I have found the Godox AD600 a remarkable value and light. In all likelihood I will purchase two more.

Great review! I’m thinking of buying one of these, but i need to get it into my Pelican 1510 – and i can’t find any measurements with the protector hood online. Could you please measure it for me? In millimeters if possible. I have taken a snip from a video to show you the measurements i need (lying on the side against a corner or something like that): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B09c_M0wLAwIZmdOaEs1RXppdm8﻿

Hello Mark, On the godox ad600bm light do you know how the second curtain sync is accessed is it on the light or X1C transmitter-camera the manual is not so clear, have tried it on set up, but does not seem to work. must be me. Thanks for your site very interesting. stuart.

Hi Mark, Is there really that much of a difference with the Omni refletor and their silver 22″ beauty dish other than size and portability? I already have the disha nd was wondering if I really need to buy the omni reflector. Also, for indoor studio type work, do you now prefer the godox stuff over your Einsteins? Thanks so much for sharing all this great info.

How are you mounting the Godox Ad 600 to the stand. I am going crazy searching the internet for something just like it. Can you help me out with a name and place where you got yours. I love my AD 600 Thanks!

I don’t know whether you use umbrellas with the AD600, I often use umbrellas for quick setups. I’m not sure what the best umbrella reflector would be ( Bowens mount ), would you have any info you could share in that regard?

Hello Mark, thanks for the article. Unfortunately I have a AD600MB that does not synchronize correctly to 1/250 with my Nikon D810 (and trigger X1N). Everything ok to 1/200 or 1/320. The problem seems common to all users of Nikon. I also did tests on D700 and D610. At 1/250 the flash mode on AD switch automatically in HSS and picture show a dark band at the bottom frame. This happens in normal syncho 1/250 or 1/250 FP. X1 trigger is firmaware v.15 and flash firmaware 1.4. I read many complaints even from Flash Havoc site Have you notice about it?

Hi Mark, I’ve been using AD360 for years and love it, using FT-16 I can sync to 1/4000 second using my X100S easily, can this AD600BM do the same thing ? I’m also interested with the recycle time at full power which seems much faster than AD360 but during your review did you notice about the recycle time is it really fast. Does this new flash has the RPT function also ? TYVM

First of all: wow, great article. It helped so much. I ordered the AD600BM including the x1 trigger. With an adapter I want to use all my great Elinchrom light formers with this mobile flash. M stands for manual and if I understand right, this means, I am able to go up to 1/4000 – 1/8000 on my Nikon cameras. And finally – just to be sure – this means that I set the shutter speed as necessary on my camera (for example 1/2000 to match a dramatic background) and then control the amount of light for the model on the Godox strobe, right?

Which light stand / boom are you using in the photo where you show the extension head and cord length for the AD600? And do you use that stand on location? Or do you prefer a different stand / boom for location work?

Also, it seems like you are a fan of HSS, but I was wondering why you don’t seem to use Super Sync / Long Tail Sync / Slow Sync, and whether you have tried it with the AD360 compared to HSS with the AD600?

I don’t have an AD600 to test out, but I would imagine that an AD360 in super Sync / Long Tail Sync / Hyper Sync would be able to produce the same power as an AD600 in HSS. Of course, you would lose the power flexibility of the AD600 in HSS because the AD360 would HAVE to be fired at full power only to obtain a clean Super Sync / Long Tail Sync / Hyper Sync

Hi Mark, sorry for the tardy reply. I prefer HSS over Hypersync on any strobe. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but on my Priolite strobe their hypersync causes banding of darkness. I much prefer the HSS method.

Thank you for writing a detailed review for this great product. I have a few simple questions which require your help:

1. In my region, I could only get the TTL version, not manual. But is TTL a good function to have? 2. I got the X1-C set (trigger + receiver) as I read it will be helpful for TTL & HSS. But as the receivers are built-in the flash, does only the trigger X1T-C do the complete job? 3. Are these only dedicated for outdoor or places where theres no AC. How can I use them both AC & DC? Because I tried hooking up the charger to the battery when it was connected to the head, the charger becomes hot and it seems its only charging the battery only, not making it AC power. 4. Will one flash head be enough for outdoor work or 2 are recommended? 5. Any good modifier recommended for outdoor portrait/fashion style shooting?

Recently I purchased 2x ad600bm and two x1t-c. Everything works perfectly but my lights won’t trigger when I press shutter button. Test button is working perfectly and triggering lights but when I put it on camera and try to shoot my lights are not firing. Any suggestions or help regarding this issue. Found same problem on YouTube https://youtu.be/MD2QHOnNECw Thank you,

Great article Mark… thank you for sharing. Just curios how you set up your Synchronization delay setting in the XT1 transmitter? I’m using a Sony a7rii camera and someone said you need a delay with the Sony’s. Wasn’t sure if you had any such knowledge, I know you use Canon often. Thanks

Hi Mark, thanks again for the great review. I am ordering now the 600bm from amazon. Does it make sense to buy the bowens mount version since I assume they have the superior choice on modifiers? Any modifiers you would recommend as a start? Thanks!

Hi Tim and I’m glad my review is helpful to you. I have no experience with Godox modifier mounts so I cannot speak to them with any authority. My preference would be to buy modifiers with Bowens mounts as they are very common and most manufacturers make them. As far as a first modifier that is tough because I don’t know what you shoot or where you plan to use it, meaning indoors or outdoors. If I had to pick one as a first start I would recommend the PCB Omni reflector, but you would have to modify it to use it with your AD600/Bowens mount. You can simply order a Bowen mount like this one and attach it to the Omni. Here is my review with photos of the Omni. Here is now I converted it to accept Bowens mounts.

At which power levels can the AD600 do High Speed Sync. I have a single Profoto B1 right now, but these look great and are much more affordable if you need multiple strobes. My B1 cannot use the whole power range when shooting HSS. Only 7.0-10.0 (normal range is 2.0-10.0). What about the Godox? Thanks in advance! Kind regards

Hi Mark, thank you again. The 600BM with the X1 remote and the bag are on the way. The expansion head may be ordered later and a second 600BM. First I want to see how well it behaves. PCB is not available in Germany unfortunately. I want to be portable and will shoot in Studio and Outdoors. Mostly people and either full body or portraits. So one modifier will not be enough. My current favorites – any recommendation? Westcott rapid box Beauty Dish or Westcott Rapid Box Zeppelin Octabox (but which size) or Cononmark 120cm or EZ-Pro Beauty Dish or Westcott Rapid Box Octa XXL And a reflector would be great where I can attach different modifiers like grids or diffusors.

Hi Mark, final update. I just bought the Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Throat Octabox 39″ with a bowen mount. I will receive it on tuesday. The light arrives today which I can try in the mean time with umbrellas.Thanks again!

Hi Mark, sorry to bother you again. The AD600BM arrived and worked out of the box with the X1. The Deep Rota is not here yet so I used a large Westcott Umbrella. Even 1/5000 worked out of the box. I don’t have the problem with the grip that it touches the body when turning. So all perfect and build quality is pretty nice. Results were great. Even in Continous High speed mode all shots were perfectly lit with my D800e.

But I just don’t get that the remote only goes down to 1/128 even after Firmware upgrade. I see Groups A-E so the firmware must be the correct one.

I am also wondering if I should buy as the second one the TTL version for just in case. But I really don’t have a problem in getting the light right with 3-4 test shots.

Picked up the Elinchrom Deep Octa 100cm and also bought a lightstand with a boom. Will order the extension head next. The Elinchrom Deep Octa is amazing. the light quality is just stunning. The Godox is perfect. All I was looking for in strobe. Especially using the HSS feature is so easy and there was so far always enough power.

How would you recommend mounting the AD600 on the light stand when using the extension head. Is it a good idea to use it as a counterweight? If it is a good idea I am thinking buying a carabiner and just let the “battery” hang at the back of the boom stick

Thanks for sharing your experiences with he AD600. Your report tipped the scales for me to try it. Now I’m confused in finding the right version:

I like the version with Bowens mount and TTL. In the reviews I always read about the B being TTL and BM being manual. Godox itself states that the M is the “M/Multi” version, which I don’t know what they mean with that. Could you maybe enlighten me?

Hi, the B is for Bowens the BM is for Bowens Manual. Don’t worry about the M since that is part of both TTL and manual for Multisync shooting. I would buy from Adorama because of their return and service policy in the USA.

Two ways. First I converted a stage follow spot to do so. And the second way which was much easier was adapting a SP Studio Systems Background Image Projector to accept an Einstein strobe. You can read how I did that here. Unfortunately those are no longer available! Since changing to Xplor/Godox line of strobes I use a different modifier for gobo use.

Mark . I have a issue with locking the AD 600b at an agle. the press and pull out handle is so confusing. Once it pulls out it goes 360 degree.the manual says 180 degree.can you please help me in understanding how it works or do I have a faulty piece ?

Peter despite the comments on the Cactus v6II forums, much to my disappointment I could NOT get my Pentax 645Z to perform HSS with the Xplor/Godox line of AD600 strobes. I tried using the XT32 and X1 triggers to no avail. I hope one day to be able to figure out how to do it!

I´m very dissapointed with this equipment because are brand New and in my second shoot the led lighting failed, I bought two lights in different stores and this happen with both of them, It was a mess because I was in a Small Studio, dark so I needed the LED light and I have to install an old light.

Hector that’s bad news! I have not had this experience with the AD600 line, but ONLY with the remote heads. Once from Flashpoint, the other from Cheetahstand. In both cases the remote head’s LED modeling lights failed. Cheetahstand repaired the unit, but months later it failed again. I have NOT had an AD600 LED fail in the actual unit. I now carry a small LED flashlight to use IN CASE the modeling light fails. Like you I often shoot in very low light and need the modeling light to obtain focus. When I was using Einsteins I would always carry an extra modeling bulb, but with the built in LED modeling lights that’s impossible with the AD line. I’d make a stink with the retailers about those strobes, but to be a Boy Scout, carry a small flashlight to get your focus needs met if the modeling light fails. So sorry to hear that, it sucks!